Writing Roundtable Discussions Center for Faculty Learning, March 30-31, 2005 Discussions at these two sessions focused on a number of issues, including • Appropriate amounts of writing to require in a course • Relating EN 112 to other courses and various majors • Writing portfolios • The role of revision • Final Exam possibilities in EN 112 • What to do about students who disappear mid-term Appropriate amounts of writing to require Most faculty present indicated that they required 4-5 major papers in WI courses, along with other written work (short pieces, writing to learn activities, analyses, lit reviews, interviews, etc.).  Often there are in-class writing activities that take place throughout the course.  Length limits varied, but a couple teachers use the parameter of “as long as it takes to cover the topic and meet the assigned requirements.” Teachers across disciplines agreed that “the more they [the students] write and/or research, the better.” Now with the added writing component on the ACT and SAT exams, it is even more incumbent on us to address writing in all disciplines. Writing is Content + Style.  Both elements are important. “There is no such thing as too much writing.” We recommend that students study 2-3 hours outside of class for every hour they spend in class.  Do we really mean this?  The student perception might be no, but the reality is Yes. Relating EN 112 to other courses and various majors Jenni Randonis shared that she had her EN 112 class this term do an empirical research paper with a presentation, in which students had to look into the writing that is expected in their intended major.  She had them interview a prof, interview an upper-level student in the major, and find and evaluate three examples of writing in the discipline.  What they found was significant in raising their appreciation of the amount, types, complexity and accuracy expected of them in terms of writing.  In several instances, she reported, myths about writing in the discipline held by first-year students were dispelled by the upper-level students’ experiences. Perhaps faculty from various disciplines could visit EN 112 or IS 101 classes to discuss the need for and the roles of writing beyond the classroom, or in their specific disciplines. A grade-norming session would be helpful and appreciated, especially among EN 111/112 faculty and/or among the first-year course faculty.  All faculty, veterans and newbies alike, would benefit from such a session. Writing portfolios The notion of collecting writing portfolios for each student was raised as a way of having evidence of students’ writing proficiency and experiences throughout their Wartburg career.  This had been discussed at great length years ago, and the discussions at that point had revolved around trying to figure out the purpose for keeping such portfolios:  Would they be used to assess student progress, or would they be used for program assessment, both ideas made complicated by attendant concerns.  The biggest concern regarding assessment – of either the students or of programs -- was “to what purpose?”  At that time, Jenzabar was soon to be made available to faculty, and they tabled the idea of housing portfolios until they could see what the new program might make possible.   The role of revision Sometimes it seems that we spend a lot of time giving students feedback so that they will revise their work, and then they don’t really follow through.  The students don’t always take revision as seriously as we do.  If the penalty for not dealing with it isn’t sufficient, they don’t take the time to deal with the issue.  Perhaps mini-lessons, deliberately focusing on revision issues, would be more helpful than merely reminders in the margins of papers or little comments in conferences.  (Or the two in tandem?) Revision is more about development than it is about grammar.  Merely cleaning up the surface errors is not really revision. At least one EN 112 teacher has been using the same topic or research for more than one paper this term, an approach designed to help students see the topic from a variety of angles, and to understand the complex possibilities afforded by various “visions” of an idea.  This also saves time on the research end of an assignment; students can proceed to work with material they already have to add to it and craft a new piece. Final Exam possibilities in EN 112 Various ideas were shared about final exam possibilities in EN 112, including • giving students a set of readings ahead of time, and then having them write an essay during the exam period from a prompt (one of three or four choices), which requires that they incorporate material from several of the sources they have been given. • Giving students a set of questions based on the published goals and outcomes for verbal reasoning courses ahead of time, and then rolling dice or drawing numbers on the day of the final for the two or three essays they need to compose during the exam. • Having students present the findings from their final research project to the class. • Having students write a reflective piece on their writing and writing process and what they have learned from the course, using their corpus of work from the term as evidence for their discussions. What to do about students who disappear mid-term Email the student and copy his/her adviser about their situation.  This way the adviser is apprised of the fact that the student is in trouble in your class, and the student knows you are concerned about the situation.